Nick Cave Receives Badge of Honor for Service to Australia

Bad Seed, Nick Cave has been awarded an Australian Badge of Honor for "distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or humanity at large."

The honor was awarded to Cave, alongside Paul Kelly and Jimmy Barnes, as part of the annual Australia Day induction. The Australian government honored Cave yesterday, alongside musicians including Jimmy Barnes and Paul Kelly, as part of the annual Australia Day induction.

Cave, especially, was recognized for serving "the performing arts as a musician, songwriter, author and actor, both nationally and internationally, and as a major contributor to Australian music culture and heritage."

Cave is among the 958 people from different industries and communities added to the Australia Day honors roll, which is published every year on January 26.

Earlier this month, Cave gave his first interview since the tragic death of his son, addressing his recent film, One More Time With Feeling, while also discussing the documentary about the Bad Seeds' album, Skeleton Tree. The album was considered by many critics as his best work since The Boatman's Call.

Cave made the accompanying film, One More Time With Feeling, so he could avoid answering press questions about his son's death, remarking that "the way the film seemed to open something very deep for people, and how so many people out there had lost people they loved…was a very powerful feeling."

Cave, a man of many hats — former Birthday Party member, Bad Seed, Ginderman member, soundtracking artist, novelist, poet and screenwriter, can now also call himself an Officer of the General Division of the Order of Australia. Oh, and he also gets to wear a shiny medal.

Cave has yet to comment on the honor bestowed upon him, but fans are sure there will be a typically wonderful, typically opinionated expression soon.